5 Myths of Chair Yoga

5 Myths of Chair Yoga

Anna Quinn, MPH, RYT

Certain yoga class names carry a stigma. For example, some people think gentle yoga isn’t challenging. To the contrary, being gentle with your body and mind is challenging! I’m here to debunk the myth that chair yoga can’t be challenging! Give it a try with me at Wake Up Rittenhouse on Friday mornings from 8-9 a.m.

Myth #1: You’re always sitting

I’m sure there may be a chair yoga class somewhere in the world that has you seated the entire class. But not the large majority, and certainly not this class. The warmup and cooldown are seated, but other 30-45 minutes utilize the chair and wall as support, and for proprioception (your body knowing where it is in space). An example of proprioception using the wall is pressing the hand against the wall to find greater stability in the shoulder.

Myth #2: Chair yoga doesn’t include traditional asana, or poses

Try again! Have you ever worked warrior III using a chair for arm support? What about chair pose at the wall, working to press your feet down and lengthen the spine for 10 rounds of deep, slow, inhales and exhales? Did I mention hanumanasana (split) prep work?

Myth #3: Chair yoga is for older Yogis

Chair yoga provides us a new way to look at moving the body mindfully. This class provides various ways to challenge the body and explore movements that you might not explore in a traditional yoga class. For example, chair yoga can give students the opportunity to explore wrist and shoulder stability, or hip mobility.Myth #4: Moving slowly isn’t advanced

Moving slowly is harder than moving quickly, period. We live in a face paced world. What might happen if you slowed down to explore how your ankle feels when making slow circles with the foot? Perhaps the more we slow down, the more awareness we can cultivate.

Myth #5: I can’t learn anything from chair yoga.

Every moment presents us with an opportunity to inquire about what lies within. Chair yoga is the perfect opportunity for yogis at any stage.